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Chromating of magnesium racing wheels

Q. Hi

I need to chromate some magnesium racing car wheels but I don't know which chemicals to buy. Can anyone help me?

Thanks

TONY THEOPHANE
RED SAIL DESIGN LIMITED
1999

1999

A. Hi, Tony.

Please look in your yellow pages for "Plating Supplies", or in our Chemicals Directory here for those chemicals. But there is a lot more to chromating a magnesium wheel than dipping it into a vat of chromating solution. For example, do you realize that magnesium is flammable, and the environmental liability for proper disposal of chromate solutions (and rinse water) as hazardous waste? If not, you might be ahead by finding a Jobshop to do this project for you instead. Best of luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

A. We do aluminum & magnesium finishing.

For chromating magnesium we use a product called Iridite #15.

You do not want to do this yourself. You would need all the other chemicals like mag soap etc.

David A. Kraft
- Long Island City, New York
1999

A. What type of magnesium wheels are they? Are they bbs? And why chrome? Chrome on mags sure wouldn't look good.

Johnny nova
1999

Hi, Johnny.

I don't think they are speaking about (bright and shiny) chrome plating, but a corrosion protection treatment called chromate conversion coating.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

Need "gold" chromate finish on cast magnesium

2003

RFQ: I have a number of automotive related cast magnesium parts (part of a BMW racing motor). These parts include a manifold casing, valve cover, timing cover and oil pan. These parts all had a gold iridescent finish on them (near as I can describe looks like gold cad plating). I have been told that this is either a Dow 1 dichromate "gold" process or Iridite #15. It is important to get these pieces refinished correctly and unfortunately gold paint doesn't quite work. Looking for someone who both knows what the process is and where I can get it done.

21365-1 21365-2

Mark McClelland
- San Carlos, California, USA

Ed. note: Sorry, this RFQ is old & outdated, so contact info is no longer available. However, if you feel that something technical should be said in reply, please post it; no public commercial suggestions please ( huh? why?)

How to clean and remove oxidation from magnesium intake manifold

December 6, 2009

I have an intake manifold that is made out of magnesium that is suffering from some corrosion and oxidation blemishes. Does anyone know the best way to clean raw magnesium without discoloring or ruining the finish? I tried to use lemon juice on an inconspicuous area to see if it worked, but it barely did anything. I contacted Orison Aircraft Company and they didn't have any products that would be able to remove the oxidation and pitting in the finish.

It's quite ugly and annoying...I'd love to get it cleaned off before I put it on my car. Here are pictures of it:

magnesium intake manifold, view 1

Thanks for all your help and suggestions!

Stew Freeman
Car Buff - Wooster, Ohio

A. You need to find a shop which can do chromic acid pickle and chromate on magnesium. It's not a back yard job.

Jeffrey Holmes, CEF
Spartanburg, South Carolina
December 8, 2009

A. Try hot(90-100 °C) 25 gm sodium carbonate / washing soda [affil links]/25 gm trisodium phosphate [on eBay or Amazon]/1 lit water solution (5-15 minutes immersion).Rinse well with water and then with pure alcohol or acetone [on eBay or Amazon].
Hope it helps and good luck!

Goran Budija
- Zagreb,Croatia
December 9, 2009

Q. Hi. I operate a small vintage race motorcycle restoration business I hope you may be able to help, I have a few sets of 1970's era cast magnesium motorcycle wheels which need stripping and refinishing do you have a product for chromating magnesium? If so what colour finish does it leave the casting?

Kind regards

Bruce Rigby
motorcycle restoration business - Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
April 22, 2011

"Magnesium Finishing"
by Dow Chemical Co.

on AbeBooks

or Amazon

(affil links)

A. Hi, Bruce. We have an article online here that explains the various approaches to magnesium finishing: "Finishing of Magnesium".

Dow's "Magnesium Finishing" handbook.
is the best reference, but it is out of print and hard to find.

Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
April 24, 2011

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